With its chiseled and tapered aluminum body, the Vizio 14-inch Thin and Light PC is a laptop aimed directly at the general consumer as well as folks who are shopping specifically for an ultrabook or the MacBook Air. During its event, Vizio noted the comparisons to the Apple MacBook Air, which is fair since aside from the big backlit Apple on the lid of the MacBook Air and the OS on the screen, it would be hard to differentiate between the two in a dimly lit room.

We are comparing the mid-level Vizio 14-inch Thin and Light (CT14-A1) to the entry level MacBook Air 13-inch because both have a third-generation (Ivy Bridge) Intel Core i5 processor. The entry-level Vizio CT14-A0 comes with an entry-level Intel Core i3 processor, so we think comparing Core i5 model to Core i5 model a more apt comparison. As a side note, the MacBook Air and Vizio 14-inch Thin and Light also have high-end Core i7-powered models.

Related

Ultimately the two are evenly matched stat for stat. The Apple is lighter, has a slightly faster processor, and comes with a Thunderbolt port. The Vizio is almost $250 cheaper and has a slightly larger screen as well as an HDMI-out port. I'd say it's a very evenly matched tale of the tape, in the same weight class. Stay tuned to PCMag for the showdown of the slim bodies when we get the Vizio 14-inch Thin and Light in for review.

About the Author

Joel Santo Domingo joined PC Magazine in 2000, after 7 years of IT work for companies large and small. His background includes managing mobile, desktop and network infrastructure on both the Macintosh and Windows platforms. Joel is proof that you can escape the retail grind: he wore a yellow polo shirt early in his tech career. Along the way Joel e... See Full Bio

Get Our Best Stories!

This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time.